Boulder Community Network

This page gives you information about and links to resources to help you
deal with some of the possible side effects of the Y2K situation, such as
travel advisories, virus information, scams, identity theft and hoaxes.

You are urged to consider this "For Your Information" or as general
guidance, as the sources of some of these stories has not been verified.

Resources for Handling Scams, Hoaxes and Charity Questions

Amidst the distractions of both the Y2K situation and the holiday season,
be aware that there may well be some less than reputable solicitations being
made. Here are some resources to check if you have problems or questions about
Y2K related scams, frauds, hoaxes or questionable charity appeals -

The President's Council on Year 2000 Conversion; Tel: 888/872-4925.

Federal Information on Y2K Preparedness; Tel: 800/688-9889.

Social Security Administration for unexplained record changes: 800/772-1213.

National Fraud Information Center: 800/876-7060.

Most local chapters of the American Red Cross stock a copy of a brochure: "Y2K: What You Should Know."

Resources for Handling Identity Theft

Identity Theft or Identity Take Over Fraud is a
modern reality that hits some 500,000 Americans every year - that is some
1,400 people every day! Everyone of us must become more aware of how to
safeguard our name and credit records with the use of personal identifiers.

And interesting perspective on many aspects of entire privacy question,
covering such areas as public policy, personal identity, technical
ramifications, modern economics, and institutional inertia, is -

Y2K Related Travel Advisories

The U.S. government has issued a Worldwide Caution Alert and general
country by country guides to warn citizens of possible terrorist actions or
Y2K failures in various overseas countries as a caution in travel planning.

Protect Yourself

Never give out personal information  including your bank account or
credit card numbers  over the phone or online unless youre
familiar with the business and have initiated the contact. Scam artists have a
way with words. Dont fall for lines from strangers telling you how to
"verify" their identity. Scam artists can use your personal
information to commit fraud against you.

Be on the alert for unauthorized charges to your credit card. If you
havent authorized a charge, dont pay it  dispute it. Follow
your credit card issuers procedures for disputing a charge.

Ask your financial service provider about its plans to deal with Y2K. If
youre not comfortable with the response, consider doing business
elsewhere.

Ask your provider about contingency plans for system failures.

If you dont normally maintain financial records, you may want to
consider doing so in preparation for the Year 2000. That way youll have
proof if something happens to the computerized records. At a minimum, keep a
six-month paper trail  three months before and after the date change
 on significant transactions, such as mortgages, stocks and insurance.

Keep canceled checks, bank statements, and check registers as proof of
payment for at least several months before and after the date change. If you
bank by computer, download your transaction records and store them on a backup
disk. You also may want to print out downloaded records in case backup disks
are contaminated with Y2K problems.

Keep credit card receipts for purchases and cash advances made on or
around January 1, 2000. Compare them against your billing statements. Report
discrepancies to your card issuer.

The Medicare Refund Scam

Some people have received a letter from some private "research center"
telling them to telephone a 900-number to see if they qualify for a 546
dollar refund from Medicare.

People who call this 900-number or request any information from this
"research center" are immediately charged $4.95.

Whereas the same information is available for no charge directly from
Social Security (Tel: 800/772-1213) or from Medicare.

The background for this "magic number" of $546.00 is that if a person's
income and assets are below a certain limit ($947.00 for single persone, or
1,265.00 for couples), the State of Colorado may pay their Medicare premium
which amounts to $546.00 for a year.

To see if you qualify for this support, check with the Colorado
Department of Social Services. Again, there is no charge for the
information nor to apply.

From: The Public Employees' Retirement Association of Colorado.

The Y2K Credit Card Scam

People in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area were called and told that the Y2K
bug would invalidate their credit cards. For a fee, the callers offered to
provide new magnetic strips if the person being called would just supply the
credit card number. Instead, the callers used the credit card number to make
unauthorized charges.

Any person getting this type of call should immediately notify their bank
or credit card company, as well as the police, the telephone company, and
consumer protection agencies.

From: AARP Bulletin, May 1999.

"Y2K Proof Bonds"

The Y2K Bank Account Verification Scam

"I got a call from a man this weekend telling me he represented my bank and
that they were having difficulty meeting requirements to be computer ready for
Y2K. He said all bank customers would need to transfer their accounts to a
bond account specially designed to protect our money until the bank could
fully comply with Y2K requirements.

"He then said to verify that he was talking to the proper account person I
needed to confirm information about myself, my account numbers and then give
verbal authorization to transfer funds to this specially designed account.

"I don't trust folks who do this kind of thing so I asked him which of the
banks I use did he represent.

"He was not able to do that and hung up at that point.

"Please pass this info to friends or family because this is a scam that is
going on all across the country. Some people would be scared to think they
would loose all their money (which he said was sure to happen if I didn't do
this now) and would supply the information without first checking this out.

"I notified the phone company of the call - since I have caller ID, I could
give them a number but the identifier just said "out of area". It came from a
248 area code which is around Detroit.

"Anyway, just passing this along so you'd be aware and beware."

Jeanne.

The Dial 809 Scam

NEVER DIAL AREA CODE 809

Do not ever respond to Emails, Phone Calls, or Pages which tell you To
call an "809" phone number. If you call from the U.S., you will probably be
charged $25 per-minute!

The 809 area code is located in the the Bahamas. This area code is used as
a "pay-per-call" number, similar to 900 numbers in the US. But since the
Bahamas are not in the US, it is not covered by US regulations of 900 numbers,
which require that you be notified and warned of charges and rates involved
when you call a "pay-per-call" number.